大象传媒

On the 8th May, 1945 my cousin, two friends, and I were joining in the celebrations which were being marked by a bonfire etc at Ashfield Cottages, off Sylvester Street, Scotland Road, Liverpool. Everybody from the area was there.

I was six years old. My Mam had promised to take us all to see the lights being switched on in Scotland Road that evening. I was dressed up with instructions from my Mam to keep myself clean. I went to watch the bonfire with my cousin and friends. We were sitting on a bench made out of bricks with a plank of wood across, right in front of the bonfire. It was very hot but I wouldn't move in case I lost my seat. Unknown to us, someone had rolled a barrel of tar from a nearby building site onto the fire to make it burn more fiercely! I remember putting my hands up to my face and as I looked up the barrel exploded, covering all four of us with boiling, sticky tar.

I rushed home, my Mam though I was dirty and grabbed me to wash, someone shouted it was tar. No one had a telephone at the time, my Mam and older sister Sadie carried me up to Scotland Road and stopped a Lorry with a tail board. I was laid in the back and taken to Stanley Hospital.

I remember being bandaged like a mummy, with a mask on my face and just some slits for my eyes, nose and mouth. We were in hospital for a long time and very ill, as you can imagine.

My cousin's father was serving in the army in Egypt and was flown home on compassionate leave. Our families were told we wouldn't survive, but for the grace of God and skills of all the hospital staff which must have been excellent, we are all still alive and well.

I still have a letter I wrote to my Mam from Saint Joseph's Convalescent home in Freshfield, 1946.

I wonder, does anyone recall this event, apart from my family?

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